Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-03-05
Gas Monop0lies.

Cas- MonopOucs'
There appears to be . remarkable |
Ictivity In the gas world, bat We fear
he movement 10 not 50 much to fur |
nish cheap and good gas TO the people
d II 10 to enrich the pockets OF scAem-
Ing gAs nonopolies. Two strong COM
panies appear to be operating in the
country apparently st the present
time in opposition to each other, bot
ready ct any time no doubt TO consoh.
date II consolidation would be more to
the interests Of each company. The
furnishing Of gas IL m industry ex-
eeptional In Its operations when COM
pared 10 other industries. II will bear
wholesome competition only In cities
where the population 10 large enough
to suppors two or moro strong compa-
mics and even then one company can
better subserve the interests Of the
people than . number Of companies.
The latest deals In gas Ii where COM
pAny OF PhilAdelphiA capitalists have
succeeded in purchasing gas plant at
Franklin, Pa, where the capital stock
had been increased 81 900, 900, and
vhs-A tie uniten tias Improvement
Com pany have purchased the plant Of
the Chicago Gaslight and Coke Com
pony for 5000. 900. Amongst the
purcbAsers Of ,his plant are P. A. B.
widener and Stephen L. Elkins. OF
Philadelphia, names which direcly
con nect the pur chase with the Stan.
dard Oil Company. The United Gas
Improvement Company controls works
in ali parts OF the country, owns many
very valuable patents and Is said to be
the most extensive organization OF the
kind In the United States.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, referring
to these purchases, lets some light In
upon the peculiar operations OF these
gas companies. In speaking OF the
Franklin purchase 1t says the company
has become involved In ID interesting
war with the Standard Oil Company
which promises Sensational develop.
nents, and that there IL much slgnif-
canoe In the fact that the sole oompe-
titor OF the PhilsdelphiA syndicate Ii
the Standard OIL Company. In the
effort Of this company to drive the
Quaker City capital out Of the gas
Fields, the Inquirer says II has en-
counteIed m unlock sd-for snsg, which
has already assn med . dangerous as.
poet. 1t now appears that the STAN
dArd Oil Company, which Processes to
have come to the relisf OF the people In
cities where 1t has no competition
charges exorbitant rates tor gas, while
in localities where the PhilAdelpbis
com pany's plant extends, 1t supplies
gas at ru' nonsly low rates. Az Brad ford
Pa, the Standard Company charges
&c % 3 month for natural gas - fu,
for . house CRATE, while in order to
drive the Philsdelphis syndicate away
from Oil City they have reduced the
price to fifty cents, where the riva
company had been furnishing II fol
31.5o. Meadville, Youngstown ant
other places are included In the field o
the new oompsny's operation, ant
where 1t has had the opportunity tn
Standard Company has omitted n
means to crush out the Philadelphia
Company.
AS . general rule, however, the pc.
pile only get the advantage Of cheap ga
while the corporations are fghtiB
each other. The exorbitant price
charged for gas where there is but on
company Ia accepted IS direct In Vita
tion for other competing companies t
enter the field. II company woul,
make q moderate chsrss where 1t hA
sole possession, enough to cover ex
penses and pay moderate dividend
stockholders, the tem ptation for RVS
companies TO enter the field would b
removed. The way gas operations or
conducted In macy towns have bee
something on this style: A compsn
goes into town and establishes
gas plant. 1t chsrges exsrbitant rate
Another com paDy seeing what Is in
comes In and oompetes with II. II
price OF gas goes down so low that Dol
companies are In danger OF becomll
bankrupt, when, to save themselve
one sells out to the other, and then Q
goes the price OF gas agsln away beyol
Its natural figure 10 make up the loss
IL has sustained 10 the competition.
city Is better off than where 1t has b
one gas company that makes modera
charges. In this ocnnestion 1t Is
proper to state that Wilmington is
fortunate city in this respect, havi
but one gas company that supplies 9
Mt 81 35 per thousand feet, los
price than In any other city Of equ
population.